Together Again
by madpsychogirl
Summary: Sequel to 'Together Alone'. Dean/Jamie.
1. Chapter 1

**Sequel to 'Together; Alone' and beta'd by the amazing Louise :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters, although I really wish I did XD**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Two months were nothing to a hunter, usually flying by in no time at all. Between researching mysterious deaths, and dealing with whatever case they were working on at the time, days and weeks seemed to merge together; one hunt morphed into the next, and the one after that. Time seemed irrelevant when all you cared about were the people you needed to save.

Lately, though, things were different. The sixty six seals were falling rapidly, each one marking how little time was left; the days were still flying by in their attempts to stop Lilith from breaking any more, yet the days also felt as though they dragged on.

It worried Dean more than he was prepared to admit, even to himself. This was it, the end of everything. If Lilith won; if she managed to break all of the seals? He couldn't even begin to imagine the fallout. It was the stuff of nightmares, and he'd had plenty of those. Enough to last a lifetime.

That's why, when he woke one Friday morning, he was surprised that his dreams hadn't consisted of Hell, Lilith or a Yellow-Eyed Sam; they hadn't even made an appearance. He'd been dreaming all night, about Jamie.

It was hard to believe that it was only two months ago that Dean had left her back in Pennsylvania; funny how something can feel as though it were only yesterday, yet feel like a lifetime ago at the same time. Now, more than ever, Dean wished for a normal life, one that didn't involve angels, demons or the Apocalypse. A world where he only ever fired a gun in a hunting game, or where a serious injury was the result of home renovation or contact sport, not from being thrown down a flight of stairs or jumping from a second storey window in order to avoid a demon torture master.

Then there was Sammy. Dean could feel his brother slipping away, with no way to stop it. Castiel had been right; he was on a slippery slope. One that Dean couldn't control, no matter how much he wanted to. He'd never been a good liar, even when they were kids. Dean could see through his little brother's lies, which made everything even harder recently. As the weeks had passed, Dean's fears seemed to have multiplied. He didn't know how much more he could take and, although his father had trained them well enough to fight this war, Dean didn't feel as strong as he needed to be. Maybe Sam was right; maybe Dean was holding his younger brother back.

Not for the first time, Dean considered running, getting away from it all, and being totally selfish for once. That was impossible, though; Castiel would find him, or his own guilt would get the better of him. The very idea of him being the reason the world's population had to face Hell on Earth wasn't really one he wanted to entertain for long.

Shuddering at the thought, Dean dragged himself out of bed, pulling a pair of jeans from his duffle. Judging from the amount of steam seeping out underneath the bathroom door, he wasn't getting a warm shower any time soon. Swiping a hand through his hair, Dean decided he needed a walk to clear his head.

"Sammy? I'm going out for breakfast. You want anything?" he called.

"Yeah, coffee and whatever you're having," Sam shouted back.

Outside, the sun beat down relentlessly, raising a trickle of sweat almost immediately. Dean smiled; the weather in Boston always surprised him. For a state that suffered a serious amount of snow in the winter, its summers were something to be proud of. With the heat well into the 80's, Dean debated whether he needed something lighter than jeans, then grimaced; he might have worn shorts while posing as a teacher at Truman High, but he did not do shorts unless there were extreme circumstances.

* * *

Jamie loved the summer; there was just something about the weather that seemed to lift people's spirits, not to mention the increased patronage at the bar leading to extra tips. The one thing she looked forward to more than anything, though, was the opportunity to take a break, spend a week with her family in Boston. Tradition had the entire family getting together for a week every summer; barbecuing down at the beach or in the back yard. It didn't matter, just as long as they were together. With her being so far away from them for almost the entire year, summer was one of the few times she was able to see her family, and they all made the most of it.

As she drove down the highway, the wind sweeping through her hair, Rascal Flatts blaring from the speakers, Jamie's thoughts turned to Dean Winchester. She didn't want to admit it, but she found herself thinking about him more than she possibly should. It felt like only yesterday that he'd kissed her goodbye and left with his brother. She wondered where he was, what he was doing, though she refused to allow herself to think about what he might be fighting. Despite only knowing Dean for a short amount of time, she couldn't bear thinking about the amount of danger he was in. It wasn't fair.

There was absolutely no way she was ever going to forget the night she'd spent with Dean, and had often thought about the what ifs. What if Dean hadn't had to leave? What if they had been able to spend more time together? Would they still be together? Would they be able to build a life for themselves? Was it selfish of her for wanting Dean to stay, knowing that he had a duty to protect other people?

Although it might have been hidden deep inside, she would be willing to bet there was a small part of Dean that wanted to stay too. When she'd asked him where he saw himself in the future, he'd refused to answer. It wasn't ignorance or because he didn't know, but simply because he was scared. He didn't know what would happen in six months from now, let alone six years. And the one thing that had truly scared Jamie was how strongly she'd felt about him. Having only just met Dean, she couldn't believe the hold he seemed to have over her emotions.

She hadn't asked him to stay with her, no matter how badly she'd wanted to try for a real relationship with him; the mere suggestion was out of the question. She didn't like it one little bit, but the battle he was fighting was far more important. However, if Dean had asked her to go with him, there would have been no refusing the offer.

* * *

Sam secured the towel around his hips as he stepped back out into the main room, heading straight for the air conditioning unit. Failing with his attempt at getting the damned thing working properly, he huffed out a frustrated breath. They were switching rooms before the day was out, that was certain. The steaming hot weather was set to stay for the duration, and there was no way he was suffering heat exhaustion for any cause. It was one thing for the room to be filled with broken appliances, or shabby linen, stained carpets; those were minor inconveniences in comparison.

This hunt was proving to be quite tedious; they seemed to be spending hours and hours outside in the hot sun, asking question after question of the locals, with no answers forthcoming. Not a single lead had actually gone anywhere, and it seemed as though they would be in Marshfield for a while.

Their jeans and shirts were attracting a little too much unwelcome attention, making their job that much more difficult. The locals were clad in the attire normally associated with a more Southern state; boarder shorts, flip flops and wife beaters. They weren't blending in and, if things didn't turn around soon, Sam knew a change of clothing would be necessity; the hardest part would be convincing Dean of that fact. He grinned at the thought of Dean dressing like the locals, and could already imagine the look of distaste on Dean's face.

Maybe he'd have to talk his brother into just one day off to make the most of the weather.

* * *

Loaded with coffee, muffins and two breakfast subs, Dean made his way back to the motel. His feet were sweltering inside his boots, and his shirt was clinging uncomfortably to his chest. He swiped his forearm across the sweat beading at his temple, kicking himself for not thinking to buy a bottle of water instead of the coffees.

He spotted a grocery store about a hundred yards down the road, and immediately decided that he couldn't wait until he made it back to the motel. He paused at the crossing, waiting for the lights to change, watching the cars drive past. Nothing special grabbed his attention, not until the lights changed to let him cross; a red '66 Mustang Coupe, a gorgeous blonde behind the wheel.

It wasn't the car that caught his eye, though, it was the fact that he knew her, and this was the last place he thought he'd run into her. He froze, unable to do anything but stare. Even as he whispered her name, he couldn't believe who was gazing back at him.

"Jamie."


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

"Dean," Jamie whispered, not trusting her eyes.

She watched him raise his hand in a wave; an awkward motion that had her smiling in response. God, he was gorgeous, just as he had been when he left, although he looked exhausted. His shoulders seemed to slump slightly and there was a distinct shadow across his features that she just couldn't place. But then he smiled at her, and it seemed to light up his face. She remembered the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and the way he winked at her while he worked one of his lines. She remembered the way his face moved as he frowned, and the softness of his voice when he whispered to her after they'd made love. She remembered everything.

For two months she'd fought to control her feelings for Dean. Now, though, they all hit at once.

She knew it was crazy, but the one night they'd spent together had felt more than a random hook-up to her. The fact that he was a hunter fascinated her. It gave Dean a sense of mystery. Danger. But it also made her care about him a whole lot more. He saved people every day, with no real benefit for himself. He lost so much, but kept on fighting. Jamie wanted to be the selfish part of his life. She wanted him to see that he was worth something; that someone believed in him besides his brother. That someone could love him.

Just as the lights flicked to green, Dean pointed at the store. Nodding, Jamie pulled forward, desperately attempting to maintain control over her breathing. Was this even possible, or was she going insane? Only this morning she'd been wondering where in the country he might be and, now, there he was, standing right in front of her. Here in Marshfield. What the hell was she going to say to him?

* * *

_What the hell am I going to say to her?_

Dean could not believe his luck. It was her, it was really her, and now she'd pulled into the store. Dean usually had no problem speaking to women but, this time, he actually felt nervous.

Random hook ups rarely warranted a second meeting, and he couldn't even remember the last time he'd actually had feelings for the girl after. He really wasn't as shallow as Sam thought he was sometimes; he was simply practical. How could he let himself fall for a girl when he had to lie to her to protect her? Sam had done the same with Jess, and look how that had turned out. If Dean was honest with himself, he couldn't deal with the pain. He'd lost too much already, that letting himself fall in love over and over again would be too much to bear. Looking after his brother as well as himself took up enough of his soul. It wasn't safe to bring a woman into this life. Letting them think it was possible would just make things worse. They wouldn't understand. So by acting like he didn't care, he protected them by sacrificing his own happiness. Simple.

Jamie had been different from the beginning. She'd understood; his job, his life, she recognised how important it all was, which just made the entire situation worse. That acceptance meant that there was a possibility she would want to stay, to be a part of _that_ life, a part of _his_ life, regardless of the danger. For so long, he'd tried to tell himself he couldn't do that. He'd kept his heart distant from anything close to a relationship to protect himself as well as the woman involved. And as much as it scared him to admit it, his feelings for Jamie had long since taken over his fears of keeping her at a distance.

Striding across the road, Dean swallowed hard and scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, needed to say to her, only none of them seemed adequate.

She looked amazing. Just like the first time he'd seen her, her long blonde hair touched her shoulders and swayed in the wind. She leant against the car waiting for him, her smile lighting her face. He could remember details about her that he'd never seemed fascinated with before. Like the way she giggled when he kissed her neck, or the fact she had freckles on her hip that he couldn't help but brush his lips against.

With those thoughts running through his mind, and the way she was looking at him, Dean didn't even know what to say to her. So, he decided on the first thing that made sense.

"Hey."

He could smell her coconut body scrub; that smell had driven him crazy the entire night he'd been with her. He'd covered her in kisses, just to get another taste, another smile. He closed his eyes, fought the urge to groan right then and there. It worked, for all of a few seconds, until she giggled at his greeting. With that, the urge became too strong; he couldn't control the groan, which elicited yet another giggle from Jamie. Smooth, Dean. _Smooth._

"How are you?" she asked with a smile, taking a step forward. She wrapped her arms around him in an awkward hug, narrowly avoiding the coffee cups stacked in Dean's hand. As she pulled away, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"How are you?" he repeated dumbly, shaking his head. He couldn't believe it. Since when did Dean Winchester stutter like a teenager faced with a beautiful girl for the first time? "I mean, what are you doing all the way out here in Marshfield?"

"I grew up here, still have family in the area. I thought I'd get away for a bit after what happened, you know, time for a vacation and all that. This was the first chance I could get away. Guess I picked the wrong time for that, though, huh? If you're here?"

Dean smiled sadly, placing the coffee cups on the roof of the car. "We're not sure what's going on here at the moment, but you're right, it's nothing good." He leant against the trunk, gently pressing his thigh against hers. Why did she have to be here? Any of the research Sammy had turned up in the last few days had involved victims that fit Jamie's description. It had been the reason he'd thought of her more than usual since leaving Pennsylvania.

Jamie sighed as she looked away. "Typical. I take a week off, and the demons follow me home."

Dean was transfixed. He couldn't take his eyes off Jamie. There was no need to interject, to tell her it was coincidence. After everything she'd been through recently, she didn't need to be told the demons weren't following her specifically, that it was simply bad luck. She already knew that, and she'd tried making light of it. Dean wanted to respond in kind, wanted to laugh; problem was, they both knew it wasn't a joke and the laugh came out nothing more than a wistful smile. He kept his eyes on hers as he softly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He'd done exactly the same as he'd watched her sleep before he'd left for Colorado, and the memory caused a wave of emotion he wasn't expecting. Fighting back the urge to lean across and kiss her, he levelled towards the most gentleman approach he could.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude but, if I don't get this food to Sam before it gets cold... Can we get a drink later?"

"I'd love to." Jamie flashed yet another smile and made her way back to the driver's side. "Meet here at five this afternoon? I know a great place we can go."

"Sure." Dean took the food off the roof and took a step back as she started the engine. As she pulled out of the lot, he watched her leave, forgetting, just for a moment, the main reason he was in Marshfield in the first place.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry this has taken so long... It's been on LJ for a while and I just kept forgetting to cross-post it here. Enjoy :)_

* * *

"_Jamie_ Jamie?"

"Yes Sammy, _that_ Jamie. How many others do we know?"

"Wow." Dean smiled at the look on his brother's face.

He missed this; things being so easy. The old days when everything was so simple. Hunting had been fun back in those days, if you could stretch to call it that.

Absentmindedly flicking through various items in the store, Dean let his mind wander. They'd gone to the closest mall to buy shorts and a suitable pair of shoes, as the heat showed no signs of calming. He'd told Sam about his new plans with Jamie, who in turn, had shared information he'd learnt about the case. She'd called him an hour after they'd met, having forgotten that her sister was having a family barbeque that evening, and did he mind attending that instead? Desperate for any chance to see her again, he'd agreed.

A productive morning all round… Until that is, Dean had remembered shopping.

Winchester's bought clothes for comfort and necessity. Most of Dean's shirts were his father's, as were his boots. One look around Old Navy, and Dean was way out of his depth. For Sam though, fending for himself to fit in at Stamford worked to his advantage, and Dean bit his tongue to stop himself from taunting his younger brother.

"Why Old Navy, dude? We're going to look like-"

"The locals." Sam cut him off, lowering his voice. "This is the cheapest place here, and considering nowhere will accept our fake cards without asking too many questions, this is our only option."

Glancing at the khaki shorts in Sam's hand, Dean forced a smile. He had to admit that it would be cooler. Just the idea of getting some air to his legs was enough to make him _want_ to wear the shorts.

No matter how awkward he felt doing so.

* * *

Customary behavior for family barbecues definitely wasn't part of Winchester knowledge.

How to kill a vampire, exorcising a demon using Latin and various methods used as part of SAS training were. One thing Dean _did_ know however, was that he needed to bring his own beer, especially in this heat. Sam had offered to follow up on a few leads on his own, shunning his brother's protests and claims of being able to rearrange a date. Both brother's knew this wasn't entirely true, but that his younger brother's safety came before anything else.

If he was honest, Dean knew that he sometimes still treated Sammy like a kid, but if it kept him safe then that was all that mattered.

Devouring the air conditioning in the off license, Dean paid for his six-pack, smiling at the clerk who wished him a good day. As he made his way back towards his meeting place with Jamie, the flower stand outside the convenience store caught his eye. Should he have bought her flowers? Shaking his head, Dean pushed himself forward. Jamie literally had got inside his senses. She altered his ability to think straight, and it scared him more than he even wanted to admit.

When Jamie's car pulled into the car park for the second time that day, Dean felt a smile lazily appear. He'd never quite understood why hunters gave it all up to try and live a normal life, but now he could.

* * *

"How have you been?" Jamie asked after a slightly awkward greeting and a quiet few minutes. Dean fumbled over a response. What could he say? Since he'd last seen her, he'd witnessed enough to ensure he had nightmares every day for the rest of his life. He'd _been_ that nightmare. And now, God had from the word of an angel, told him they had plans for him? Oh yes, things were just _peachy._

"Fine." He lied, trying desperately to keep his guard up. "What about you? No more murdering shape shifters, otherwise you would have called…" And there it was. Dean's usual deflective technique.

"Everything is pretty much back to normal. I should have called you after that night-"

"That's generally my line." Dean smiled warmly at her, fighting the urge to lean over and touch her. "I'm sorry."

"I knew you'd be busy hunting evil." She mocked, smiling back at him. "I'm sorry about this," she winced. "It's definitely too early for meeting the family."

Dean winced too. "If I'm honest, I haven't met a girl's parents in a very long time."

"I promise you, they will behave. They're quite normal, really."

"Normal is good." He felt himself relax as she leant over to take his hand. "Normal is very good."

* * *

Not a lot of things scared Dean Winchester.

Losing his brother came top of the list. Losing his brother to the 'darker side' came close second. Failing his father always nagged at him; kept him fighting strong and hard.

Of the few things that scared Dean, today held that familiar knot in his stomach and tingle in his fingers as the adrenaline prepared him to run.

Dean was scared of how easily he could fit into this life. The effortless way with which 'normal' conversation seemed to flow. One that didn't consist of his proudest hunting moment or the time Sammy fell down the stairs trying to chase a puppy they thought had been possessed.

Jamie stood at his side, laughing as she watched her young nephew run around with his sister. Dean craved her touch but respected her enough to keep his distance. Every so often, the large man watching over the children, who he could only presume to be her brother, would shoot a glare towards Dean every so often. It made him uneasy. He'd never had to do this before.

Turning to talk to Jamie, he noticed she'd also been watching the man, and clearly had no problems showing him how pissed she was. Lifting her hand to her forehead, she signed pulled it away, closing her fingers. Dean smiled. She'd use sign to tell him to 'go away'. Clever girl.

"He used to be in the Army." She explained as her brother turned away to chase his son, high pitched screams making her smile. "He taught me a few things when he got back."

"He's protective of you."

"That's what big brother's do, right?"

Taking a swig of his beer, Dean watched as the younger man pulled his t-shirt over his head to reveal a tanned, toned chest. He turned to carry on chasing the youngest of the two children and that's when Dean saw it.

At the top of his back between his shoulder blades, lay a tattoo. One identical to that on Dean's chest.

It couldn't be... _Could_ it?

"Jamie, what's your second name?" Why hadn't he ever asked her before?

"Sorry?" She turned to him, confusion written across his features. He knew why he hadn't asked before; the sex had been a bit of a distraction.

"Your second name, what is it?"

Her eyes followed his, as if making the connection just as he did. She gasped, dropping her glass as her body went numb, catching the attention of a few people surrounding her. Including her brother.

"What did you do to her?" He growled, striding over and stopping inches from Dean's face.

"Rob, leave him alone. Everything's okay."

"It doesn't look okay." He stood his ground and Dean cursed himself for missing the obvious signs before. It didn't matter how comfortable he looked; Rob's eyes gave him away. He watched everyone and there was a hidden emotion Dean only knew too well.

The look of a man that knew of the creatures hiding in the dark.

Forcing himself to stay as polite as possible, Dean stretched out his hand. "The name's Dean. Dean Winchester."

"Winchester?" The colour drained from Rob's face. "John Winchester's son?"

Dean nodded. "I noticed your tattoo."

"Good old Bobby." Rob smiled. "Morrison. Rob Morrison."

"This is weird." Jamie interrupted. "We need to talk." She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Now."

"I need to call Sammy." Dean shook the other man's hand again. "Nice to meet you."

"You too. I've heard a lot about you."

Heading inside, Dean felt the anger rise with each step. Was it impossible for him to keep _anyone_ away from this life?

* * *

Dean punched the wall, biting his lip against the pain. He resisted the temptation of pissing off Jamie's brother instead of making him an ally, just so he could get a beating.

Maybe it would knock some sense into him.

As usual, Dean had let his feelings cloud his judgment. How could he even think about making his Dad proud when he couldn't even-

"Dean." Spinning around, inches away from his face, stood Castiel. "You're going to break a bone."

"You've been watching humans for 2000 years and you still don't understand personal boundaries?"

"It wasn't your fault. Sam didn't realise either."

Dean ignored him, punching the wall once more for good measure. It throbbed, and he resisted the urge to cradle it in his other hand. He'd never even asked Jamie her last name the night they'd slept together. What kind of man did that make him?

"What do you want?" He growled at the angel, refusing to look up.

"Sam called me."

"_Sam?"_

"The demon you are hunting has been known to be part of the followers for the Yellow Eyed Demon. It could be possible he had the equivalent of a brother."

"You're joking?" The look Castiel gave him proved he clearly wasn't. "So why has Sam told you?"

If Castiel heard the sting of jealousy in Dean's tone, he chose to ignore it. "He wanted help to make sure he stayed off the dark path and not tempted into anything. He didn't want to deal with this on his own."

"He's not on his own." Dean practically growled as he punched the wall yet again. This time, he winced as he heard the bone crack. Strangely enough, he welcomed the pain. It gave him something else to take away the pain in his chest; the complete fear that he was slowly losing the battle to save the person that meant the most to him.

Letting the anger take over him, he took a step closer to Castiel, their noses almost touching. "Are you saying I didn't do a good enough job at keeping him safe from all of that before?" He gritted out, clenching his teeth against the pain.

Reaching out, the angel touched his fingers against Dean's knuckles, brushing them in a circle to the base of his palm.

"Your brother looks up to you like he's always done. You haven't failed, and he trusts you with his life."

As the warmth from Castiel's fingers traveled to Dean's wrist, replacing the agony, he found himself calmer than before. Whatever mojo he used, it was intoxicating.

"Cas." He moaned, hissing as he heard his bone click back into place. Lust took over next and Dean's mind filled with Jamie.

"You've got work to do, Dean. Saving people _is_ the family business. Sam is safe for now but Jamie needs you."

Before Dean could even thank him, the flutter of wings and soft breeze left him in silence, alone and slightly horny. Minutes later when he'd gained a certain amount of control over himself and resisted the urge to call Sam, someone knocked on the door outside.

"Dean? Are you okay?" _Jamie._

"Just great." He mumbled, opening it slowly and ignoring the voice in the back of his head that wanted to pull her into the room and lock the door. "Let's get a beer, yeah?"

* * *

Later that evening, the mood around the back yard had dulled to a relaxing hum of chatter and laughing. The children had either left with their parents or were asleep inside. The adults were enjoying the peace and quiet of the summer.

Dean settled himself on the grass, stretching out, beer next to him. Completely full and slightly buzzed up from the alcohol, he felt more relaxed then he'd ever thought possible. Jamie had excused herself to help her parents clear up a little, leaving Dean with his thoughts.

Deciding he should call Sam again now he'd calmed down, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Waiting for his brother to pick up, his eyes drifted across the various couples dotted around. Jealousy caught him short. Everything was so easy for them…

"Hello?" A groggy voice announced, evidently thick with sleep.

"Did I wake you, Sammy?"

"Mmmno." He mumbled, making Dean chuckle.

"Sure. Look, I'm sorry about the voicemail I left on your phone earlier. I over-reacted."

"Mmm." Dean shook his head. After Castiel had left and Jamie had taken him back downstairs, he'd left a shitty voicemail to his brother. One he most definitely regretted now.

"Don't fall back to sleep while I'm talking to you." He warned his brother, the humor clear in his tone. "I will beat your ass if you do."

"Mmmup."

"I'm on protection detail tonight, ok?" Dean took a swig of his beer, savoring the cool taste. "If something is here, I'm not letting it-" Sam's soft snores cut him off. "Night Sammy."

"What's wrong?" Jamie appeared, obviously worrying about why Dean was on the phone.

"Nothing." He pulled her down to sit between his legs so he could wrap his arms around her. "I was trying to apologize for earlier but Sam wasn't interested. Apparently sleep is more important." Jamie laughed, twisting herself slightly to kiss his neck. "Where's your brother?"

"Gone home to put the kids to bed. He'll be back later."

Dean nodded. "I'm sorry Jamie, I was so desperate to keep this all away from you this time. I wanted it to be different." _Normal._

"This is part of who you are. And me too, apparently." She shook her head, helping herself to a swig of his beer. "How long are you here for?"

"As long as it takes."

"And with me?"

"As long as you're safe."


End file.
